The purpose of the Spirit Affinity is the promotion of spiritual awakening and optimal health among adults regardless of religious affiliation or background. The Spirit Affinity is centered on the concept that human spirituality is a form of sensuality~the use of all of the senses (not just the basic 5) to experience both worlds seen and unseen. Sensuality encompasses both the natural and the supernatural elements vital for the balance between body, mind, and spirit.
At some point during my adult years, I looked back on my life and realized I was a fraud. My physical world was drastically out of alignment with my spiritual one. It was similar to cooking an elaborate meal while starving, but not being able to consume it. I grew up in a very strict Christian setting dominated by Southern Baptist doctrines. Church every Sunday, choir, usher board, trustee board, Sunday school, morning service, evening service... the environment was filled with bible-toting scripture-quoting tongue-speaking hallelujah shouting folks! Fortunately, I was exposed to many people of integrity and positive influences that instilled in me priceless values. My parents emphasized education until it was drilled into my psyche. On the flip side, I was fed a lot of half-truths, partial truths, and altered truths by so-called well-meaning people. Ignorance, closed-mindedness, pride, & arrogance are likely some of the causative factors. Therefore, I impersonated what a Christian should look and act like based on deficient information. There was no valid connection between the worldly me and my higher self. I impersonated what a Christian should look and act like, but I had no real relationship with my Creator. I prayed to a God I was told to pray to quoting the prayers I was taught to quote. Like a soldier taking orders from his commanding officer: You do as you are told and trained to do whether you are feeling it or not!
Out of Nowhere
I am not sure what event triggered my self-realization, yet it was life-transforming. The process is nowhere near complete rendering an ongoing journey. A crucial part of my being that was sleep woke up and jolted me to the core. Sadly, many people live their whole lives and depart without recognizing that crucial element. My recognition of that element catapulted my mind to a higher wave length. There was a burst of clarity illuminating my understanding of almost everything.
One major area of enlightenment is human sensuality--the mother of physical intimacy. The religious forums that dominate the media treat it like it is nonexistent (unless a scandal hits the news) or something to shun from discussion. In contrast, sensuality should be celebrated and promoted within a God-ordained context. Consequently, inner eyes open, new ideas blossom, paradigms shift, and higher consciousness ensues.
Spiritual enlightenment brings about intelligence and inner peace. It is not about being a Biblical scholar or expert on religious topics because I am neither--far from it! I started this blog not just to disperse information, but to gain knowledge and expand my horizons. It is truly about making a connection with God who leads us to connecting with deeper aspects of ourselves. Those deeper aspects make up the true self...not our careers, bank accounts, personal possessions, or physical bodies.
Our Eclectic Universe
The physical universe is evidence that the Creator loves diversity. A child of the universe, planet Earth, clearly follows suit with its potpourri of life forms. Within the same life form is remarkable variation ( different species of fish, plants, human racial groups, etc). Does it not stand to reason diversity is expressed on every level of existence/consciousness? It does not matter if you are Christian, Buddhist, Muslim, etc. because you are a different expression of the same universe. Different cloths of fabric are required to construct the quilt. I discovered that all religions contribute knowledge and perspectives that are necessary to complete life's masterpiece. It seems as if everyone has a piece to the puzzle of the universe that may never be fully explained on this realm.
The paths we choose to take to self-realization are possible through the gift from God called freewill. I have discovered there are far more similarities than differences between the major philosophies that lend more support of each other than contradiction. Besides, I dare to count the numerous contradictions that exist just within the Christian faith. Historical and present events demonstrate other religions are plagued with the same multiple interpretations/variations. At one time, the news was flooded with horror stories of conflicts between the Sunni and Shiite Muslims...there is only one Quran is there not??? No one, no science, no religion has escaped the divisiveness of multiple perspectives. Conflicting interpretations give birth to confusion, disbelief, and disillusionment.
One will be greatly distracted if not focused on their own inner voice. It's the God inside of you and me. Ultimately, that is the key: Hearing your own inner voice because once that occurs everything else falls into place.
Inhalation of plant extracts for the purpose of therapeutic benefits is known as aromatherapy. The plant extracts are known as essential oils. The science of its effectiveness is not simply the aroma, but the medicinal effects on mental and physical well-being. It is a very popular practice that is used in both mainstream and alternative health promotion. Manufacturers of commercial preparations often label their products as aromatherapy for a particular scent added. However, the scents used in most commercial products are synthetic. Practitioners of aromatherapy argue that any smell can affect one's mood, thoughts, or state of mind. True aromatherapy can only occur through the use of pure essential oils that have medicinal properties. Different oils have different properties and are used for various purposes. They can be inhaled directly, applied topically to the body, or diffused in the air. Some essential oils can be toxic, caustic, or irritating to bodily tissues so they must be used properly. One must do the research and take the necessary precautions prior to self-administering aromatherapy. Otherwise, it would be more feasible to go to a professional. I routinely use aromatherapy as part of a holistic approach to health maintenance, disease prevention and healing. The benefits are enhanced from the cumulative impact of complementary regimens (adequate sleep, proper exercise, good nutrition, stress reduction). In addition to health promotion, aromatherapy is also used in the religious/spiritual sectors to facilitate spiritual enlightenment and meditation. Candle and incense burning is an ancient practice in worship sanctuaries around the world. I often burn frankincense, myrrh, sage, or sweet grass at home when I am praying, meditating, or reading the Bible. It seems to relax me, open up my mind, enhance my senses, and creates an overall pleasant environment. As a result, I become more receptive to that inner voice. I believe in the holistic model that says a person has 3 major components that are connected: mental, physical, and spiritual. Does it not stand to reason that whatever influences your mental and physical states will also influence your spiritual status? What are your views when it comes to aromatherapy impacting spirituality? Do you think the effects are fleeting and minimal in their usefulness or play a more significant role in spiritualism and related rituals?
Altered mind states that are similar, but have key differences or purposes. Hypnosis is often used to solve a specific problem or accomplish a particular goal, such as elimination of addictions and bad habits. Stimuli to the brain come from an outside source ( the hypnotherapist or hypnotherapy tool). Meditation is used to get in touch with God or the inner-self and stimuli come from an internal source. Do you think hypnosis is underrated as compared to meditation? Have you or anyone you know benefited from hypnosis therapy? Watch the following video for a clear explanation of both practices.
There is something exceptionally healing and rejuvenating about a natural environment. Most of us are instilled with feelings of peace and serenity as stress dissolves. Being closer to nature makes many feel closer to God. This is probably why churches sponsor spiritual retreats against breathtaking landscapes. What is your favorite landscape or nature scene? How does being in that environment influence your inner self? Do you feel that a man-made synthetic environment impedes spiritual growth?
A while ago, I attended a Sunday School class taught by a husband & wife. The discussion was the impact of different types of music on spirituality. They couple joked about how they had finally reached the point where they could "get busy" while listening to gospel music. Does it make you feel awkward or uncomfortable to get physically intimate while listening to spiritual or faith-based music? Does secular music seem more appropriate in creating the mood? Why or why not? Do you view the capacity to make love to faith-based music a sign of spiritual maturity?
Are you married to someone of a different faith? Are you in a marriage where one is a monotheist (believer in one God) or polytheist (believer in multiple Gods) and the other is agnostic/atheist (non-believer)? How have you both adjusted? How has the difference in your beliefs affected your daily routine and household decisions? Are there children involved and how are you directing their belief system?
Scenario: Steven is a Christian. Steven has an anxiety disorder. He takes a prescription drug for his condition. He also uses complementary medicine of yoga & Zen meditation to treat his condition. Is he out of line with his Christianity? Has he done something wrong? Some fellow Christians would say yes. Others say that is ridiculous. Please, allow me to state the obvious. Eastern medicine and Western medicine are different. There are key distinctions & unique practices. Western medicine includes conventional (the medical system as practiced in the US & UK), homeopathic, and naturopathic therapies. Eastern medicine refers to traditional Chinese and Ayurveda health care. In your opinion, which style of medicine is more in-tune with spirituality or treating the innerbeing? Do you feel religion (Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, etc.) has had an impact on the evolving of one or both of these two health care systems? If yes, in what way? Should religion have anything to do with health care?
One of the latest alternative therapies becoming more and more popular are binauralbeats. They are sounds produced by two different tones emitted from two different microphones. Each ear hears a different tone that is played simultaneously producing a stereophonic quality. The brain responds to the difference in the patterns of the tones (not the actual tones) rendering specific perceptions. It is claimed binaural beats can facilitate deep relaxation and sleep, meditation, motivate positive affirmations (self-esteem, money attraction), lucid dreaming, physical energy, feelings of happiness, higher intelligence, psychic abilities, romantic love, weight loss...is there more? I am not sure one way or the other if the claims are valid, but I do feel better after listening to the compositions. I also feel better after listening to the music of Mozart and Michael Jackson. Go figure. I guess the difference is binaural tones are patterned to target a specific stimuli in the brain. It is reasonable to surmise that anything influencing brain activity will inevitably influence spiritual pathways. When one aspect of an entity is altered, everything connected is altered as well-butterfly effect, domino effect, whatever you want to call it. Do you listen to binaural beats? If yes, are they effective in producing the desired results? Do you think their impact on the mind is more scientific, spiritual, or a combination of both?
